16 years old and 2.18m: Filipino Kai Sotto’s hoop dreams

Sixteen years old and 2.18m (7-foot-2). Kai Sotto is Asian basketball’s next big thing.

He’s already a household name in basketball crazy Philippines and his performances at the recent FIBA U18 Asian Championship have only raised the hype.

The Philipines made it to the final four of the tournament thanks in large part to their rising star and this stomping quarter-finals display against Bahrain:

The Batang Gilas got the better of Bahrain, 67-52, in Thailand with Sotto netting 21 points.

Undefeated and the top-seed in the group stages, the Filipinos automatically advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2018 FIBA Asia Under-18 Championship.

The semi-finals were a step too far for Kai & Co. coming up against eventual winners Australia.

But a final four finish means that the team qualifies for the FIBA U19 World Cup next year.

It’s the first time the national team has made the U19 finals since 1979!

Kai the next Yao?

Sotto has been called The Next Yao Ming and NBA scouts have been tracking his progress for some time.

Looking at Kai Sotto (Philippines '02) in the Asian U18 Championship, it's clear that he is playing with some better energy. At the U17 World Cup it was rare to see him screen and re-screen, often just posted. Motor needs to continue to improve but trending positive. #FIBAU18Asiapic.twitter.com/EXT31OyVDI